We all have swine flu.

I know this because a coworker has been saying, since this latest health scare has hit the TV screens, that she has had an off and on "touch" of the swine flu. Which means everyone in the office has been infected, because she has not (despite going to various doctors for other "ailments" over the last few weeks) actually gotten tested for the virus. So all the techs who go out every day to hundreds of retailers have spread this dreaded affliction to thousands of people. I've infected my brother's family and my band and a bunch of friends at a party a couple of weeks ago. And everyone who's at the various stores and restaurants and bars I've been to lately. I can't believe my niece is still up and (almost) walking around.

So maybe we don't have the swine flu.

But we are, as a nation, perpetually sick people. Which is why health care is such a hot topic. And why we want "reform" of some kind.

I pay about $25 a month for my health insurance. I don't have a doctor because I've given up trying to find one that takes my insurance AND new patients. So if something happens to me and I need to see a doctor, I guess I'm going to the emergency room. I'll get in there. Even if I have to wait hours to see someone, and it'll cost me money because my health insurance sucks.

The problem with health care is the perpetually-attached insurance. Somehow we've got this notion in our heads that we need insurance...not health care. And the problem is that lots of people (nearly 50 million) don't have insurance.

Insurance does nothing. Insurance is the ultimate middle man. And the most expendable part of the equation when you look at the health care system we have in this country.

Health care providers and professionals want to make money for their work. And insurance companies want to make money. And people want to pay the least they can for their insurance.

So health care providers jack up their fees to insurance companies. Insurance companies jack up their premiums and co-payments and hoo-haw. And we, the people, end up paying extra for just about everything health care entails.

If I need blood work, I can't have my doctor do it. Or the people in my doctor's office do it. I have to go to one of two places (in the entire city) where my insurance company will pay for it. Or that's $150 or so on my head.

So I spend a day driving around town to my doctor, and then to another place for the leeches and then back to the doctor on another day so he can tell me I need to stop eating so much fast food.

I don't feel any better, but at least I have health insurance. I'm covered.

Kill the middle man. All insurance does is restrict access to health care. Say no to procedures they don't want pay for. Say no to doctors not on their official list. And say no to patients they don't want to pay to keep alive.

So the middle man takes the money and then tells everyone they aren't pay for anything. And this costs more money year after year because...well, health insurance providers aren't socialist, they want to make money.

The easiest way to make money in this scheme is to charge lots to the insured and then never pay out on anything.

So if we want everyone in this country to get quality health care, why are we talking about getting everyone health insurance? This will fix nothing.

Kill health insurance and then maybe I won't have to drive all over town just to be told there's nothing really wrong with me (and I don't have the swine flu), but maybe I should eat fewer Big Macs in any given week.

Health insurance is a Ponzi scheme. The stingiest casino in the world. We throw money on the table and the insurance croupier says, "Sorry, you're not a winner today. Go to the end of the line, and don't forget we won't pay to fix preexisting conditions."

Life is a preexisting condition, and insurance is the deadliest virus floating around out there.

Matt Worley doesn't like being poked and prodded.